Sopycat has a simple Word editor and a plain text editor for quick changes. They are made for fixing words, not for page design. For anything that depends on the exact layout, use Open in its app to open the file in Word or whichever program Windows uses for it.
Which editor opens my file?
| File | Opens in |
|---|---|
| Word (.docx) | The Word editor, straight away |
| Text (.txt) and Markdown (.md) | The text editor, straight away |
| Web page (.html, .htm) | A view of the page. Press Edit the text to open it in the Word editor. |
| Older Word files (.doc), rich text (.rtf), OpenDocument (.odt) | The PDF editor, as a PDF copy made by the Office pack |
Sopycat keeps the file you added in every case. Each save is a new version, and the imported copy stays under Versions in the document's ⋯ menu.
Edit a Word file
- Open the document from your library. The Word editor opens.
- Change the words. The toolbar has the paragraph style, font, size, colour, bold, italic, underline, bulleted and numbered lists, a link button (Ctrl+K) and clear formatting.
- Press Save or Ctrl+S. "Not saved yet" shows until you do.
While you have unsaved typing, the second button says Discard. It asks before throwing your changes away. When everything is saved it says Done, which takes you back to the page view.
What does saving a Word file keep?
Saving rewrites the Word file from what you see in the editor. Sopycat says so in a banner at the top before you start typing.
| Comes through exactly | Changes | Does not come through |
|---|---|---|
| Words, headings, lists and links | Tables keep their rows but lose their column widths and shading. Pictures are kept but sit in the flow of the text instead of floating. | Page margins, headers and footers, columns and the original fonts |
If a document depends on its letterhead, footer or column layout, edit it in Word instead with Open in its app. If you've already saved and don't like the result, the file you imported is still under Versions, so you can go back to it.
Edit a text or Markdown file
A .txt or .md file opens in a plain text area.
- Type your changes. In Markdown, # makes a heading, - makes a list item, and **two stars** make bold.
- Press Save or Ctrl+S.
A .txt file stays a .txt file and a .md file stays a .md file. Each save is a new version. Preview shows how the file looks, and Discard drops your unsaved changes.
Edit a web page
An .html file first shows as the page it is. Press Edit the text to change its words in the Word editor. The editor only has the page's words and simple formatting, not its full layout, which is why it waits until you ask.
Why does my .doc or .rtf file open as a PDF?
Only .docx files open in the Word editor. Older Word files, rich text and OpenDocument files are turned into a PDF when you add them, so you can read, mark up, sign and edit them in the PDF editor. This needs the Office pack; see setting up the Office pack.
The original file is kept. To open it in Word or another program, use the document's ⋯ menu › Open the original DOC in its app (or RTF, ODT and so on). To turn a PDF back into a Word file, use Convert files.
Open a document in another program
Open a document › Open in its app
Open in its app, at the top of every document, opens the file in the program Windows uses for that type. The document's ⋯ menu also has Show the file, to find it in Windows Explorer, and Save a copy….
Make Sopycat your default app
The installer lists Sopycat as an editor for .pdf, .docx, .doc, .txt, .md, .rtf and .odt files, but Windows keeps whatever app you already use as the default. To make Sopycat the default:
- Open Windows Settings.
- Go to Apps › Default apps.
- Find the file type, for example .pdf, and choose Sopycat.
Open one file with Sopycat
Right-click a file in Windows Explorer and choose Open with. Sopycat is listed for .docx, .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .xlsx, .pptx, .webp and .heic files, as well as the types above. You can also drop a file on the Sopycat icon in the taskbar.
A file you open this way is added to your library and opened. If it's already in your library, Sopycat recognises it and opens the copy you have, so you don't get duplicates.
Shortcuts on the taskbar icon
Right-click the Sopycat icon in the taskbar for Record a task, Make a PDF, Open the library and your recent documents.
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